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Thread: Is it possible to glue broken breather tube back on Sheaffer TD feed?

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    Default Is it possible to glue broken breather tube back on Sheaffer TD feed?

    I’m restoring an old (c. 1949) Sheaffer Touchdown Statesman, and had to get a new nib for it because the original had a tine broken. I didn’t notice that when I bought it (cheaply, at a small-town thrift store long ago), but tried writing with it and found it extremely scratchy. I looked at it with a 10x loupe and saw the nib was broken. I was able get a new nib online (this pen has the huge No. 5 two-tone 14k gold nib), but was trying to dry-fit that new nib and feed to see if it would clear the cap. However, found that the tail on the feed (a breather tube, I imagine, due to the TD’s pneumatic filling action) had snapped off close to the feed’s back end. It looks like I could try to glue the tail back on, but I’m not sure if Krazy-Glue will work on what I assume is hard rubber. Failing that, I wonder if the pen would work without the tail on the feed. I think a new intact feed (with tail) might be very hard to find. Any suggestions here would be most welcome, thanks.

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    Default Re: Is it possible to glue broken breather tube back on Sheaffer TD feed?

    It's not a breather tube. It's an ebonite feed extension. The primary task of the extension is to break any possible air bubble at the sac opening that can form due to ink surface tension. The extension is not strictly necessary but it is a beneficial part.

    No, you cannot glue ebonite. So, if you want it to be original you'll either need a replacement feed extension or feed and extension.

    Stacy Hills
    PaperWantsAPen

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    Default Re: Is it possible to glue broken breather tube back on Sheaffer TD feed?

    Quote Originally Posted by controlsfreak View Post
    It's not a breather tube. It's an ebonite feed extension. The primary task of the extension is to break any possible air bubble at the sac opening that can form due to ink surface tension. The extension is not strictly necessary but it is a beneficial part.

    No, you cannot glue ebonite. So, if you want it to be original you'll either need a replacement feed extension or feed and extension.
    controlsfreak is exactly right.
    Sorry but you can't glue the extension with any glue at all.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: Is it possible to glue broken breather tube back on Sheaffer TD feed?

    I would try the pen without the extension on the feed. If you prefer not to, then replace the feed part. Trying to glue the extension will just result in glue migrating into the feed and clogging it up. It's fairly easy to go from a working feed with no extension to a feed clogged with glue that way.

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